Demi God
by Kulmanari
Summary: "Fate rarely calls upon us at a moment of our choosing."
1. The Letter

**Chapter One**

"_**The Letter"**_

"I don't believe you…"

"That's because you're an idiot," Thirteen year old Cody Martin sighed in exasperation, rolling his eyes at his twin brother's refusal to believe in what he was telling him.

"I've punched people for less than that you know," Zack said in a mildly threatening tone.

"Yeah, and that's why you were grounded last month," Cody replied, un-phased by Zack's idle threat, "Look I'm telling you that Mom got all worked up after reading that letter she got yesterday."

"I don't see how a letter could do that…"

"Just because you have the emotional range of a teaspoon doesn't mean we all do." Zack gave Cody a hurt look before looking over to the counter where the offending letter in question was tucked inside the non-descript envelope it had come in. Cody could almost hear the gears turning in his brother's head and cut him off before he could say anything.

"No."

"Oh come on Codes, a little peek never hurt anyone," Zack replied, making his way over to the counter. Despite the fact that Cody was also extremely interested in learning the contents of the letter, he knew that it was wrong to go reading other people's mail without their permission. If their mother didn't tell them what was troubling her soon however, Cody intended to ask her what was going on.

Zack picked up the envelope, pulled the letter out of it and then discarded the envelope back onto the counter. He now held a sheet of paper folded into thirds in his hand and Zack glanced up to find Cody standing beside him looking over his shoulder in spite of the protest that he had made. Without further delay Zack unfolded the letter and turned it over to read what it said.

"Wow…" Cody remarked.

"I don't get it," Zack said as he frowned at the paper in his hands.

"It's clearly a blank sheet of paper..." Cody began to explain sarcastically. Zack glared daggers at him and he stopped.

"Why would a blank piece of paper make Mom cry?"

"Maybe it's written in invisible ink!" Cody exclaimed, already thinking about how he could use lemon juice to reveal the contents of the letter.

"First you didn't want to open it, now you want to put lemon juice on it?" Zack wondered, raising an eyebrow at Cody before returning his attention to the paper. He held it close to his nose for a moment and then set it back down on the counter and ran his fingertips across its surface, "I don't smell anything, don't feel anything either."

"I didn't know you knew about lemon juice."

"Occasionally there is something worth remembering at school," Zack explained, shrugging his shoulders. He returned the paper to its envelope, but paused as he examined the front of it. Cody already could sense what Zack was thinking and beat him to the punch.

"The return address?"

"Yeah, 'The Madison Academy'," Zack read off the sticker in the top right corner of the envelope before setting it back where he'd picked it up. Cody mouthed the words silently to himself, unable to recall ever hearing of a place like that. "Maybe Mom was trying to get into this school or something and didn't make it?"

"I don't think so," Cody said, shaking his head, "She would have said something about going back to college."

"Well, there's only one place to find the answer."

"Yeah," Cody agreed, walking over to get his hoodie off the couch, Zack staring at him the whole way, "What?"

"Where are you going?"

"The Library…" Cody answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"I meant the Internet."

"Oh…yeah, that works too."

"And you said I was the idiot…" Zack quipped, rolling his eyes.

* * *

"So…?" Zack asked ten minutes later when Cody made a disgusted sigh and shut his laptop.

"Nothing… That place doesn't exist."

"Huh…" Cody yawned and then stretched his arms above his head. He was tired from having stayed up late studying for his History test. He happened to look across the shared bedroom at Zack and smiled in amusement when he saw the look of extreme concentration on his brother's face.

"Don't hurt yourself," Cody joked, unable to resist the impulse. Seconds later Cody blocked the pillow that Zack hurled at him and returned fire with his own. Before he knew what was happening, Cody found himself being tackled off of his bed and landed on his back with Zack on top of him, quickly placing Cody into his guard. Initially Cody believed that Zack intended to wrestle with him over the insult, but it soon became clear that Zack merely wanted to torture his twin.

"Ahh…Zack!" Cody started laughing between words as Zack attacked his ticklish spots, "Stop…it…!"

"Let's hear your ideas then smarty pants!" Zack exclaimed, tickling Cody for a further thirty seconds despite the younger twin's best efforts to wriggle free before letting him sit up.

"I don't know," Cody replied after a short pause to catch his breath. His face was flushed with color and he felt a dull ache in his sides from the laughter and tickling combined. "According to the return address it's somewhere in New York state."

"Maybe Mom doesn't want to move there?" Then Zack's logic center started working, "Erm, never mind, that doesn't make sense. If she applied there then she would have known where it was."

"It could be some kind of private school for us," Cody added, wondering if his mother had finally taken Moseby up on his suggestion that the boys attend a military school and learn some discipline. Zack seemed to be thinking along the same lines as Cody and a look of horror washed over his features.

"You don't think Mom would really do that to us?"

"I don't know what to think, but Mom doesn't have the money to send us to a private school."

"How do you know that?" Zack wondered even though he didn't doubt the fact.

"I help balance her bank account," Cody said with a shrug. Their Mom was terrible when it came to managing money in addition to cooking a half-way decent meal for them.

"What…?" Zack's question died in his mouth as the door to the suite opened and Carey Martin walked in carrying several grocery bags.

"Hi guys," She greeted the boys as they came out of their room. She was looking much better today than she had last night when she was alternating between anger, silence and loads of crying where she did nothing else except repeatedly hug her sons. It had been a very disconcerting night for the twins to say the least.

"Hey Mom."

"Whatcha get us?" Zack asked, his eyes drawn to the bulging bags hoping that there would be something that contained large quantities of chocolate in them. Carey beckoned her sons over to her and they dutifully came close enough for her to wrap her arms around both of them in a loving embrace before she pulled back slightly and kissed each one of them on the forehead.

"My little men are going to eat like Kings tonight," She replied, straightening up and looking around the kitchen as if she sensed that something was out of place. Her eyes settled onto the counter and Cody groaned inwardly. How did she always know?

"What's the occasion?" Zack asked, oblivious to his mother's gaze as he was more interested in trying to peek at the contents of the grocery bags.

"I see you tried reading the letter."

Busted…

* * *

**A/N:** This story is a side project I'm working on in tandem with The Chaos Demons to keep me motivated and writing. I'm attempting to be as true to the characters as I can and make the interactions between the twins as believable as possible with the idle threats, insults, joking and the tickling scene. I hope you all enjoy this one, it could go far if done right. After all, _**In This Memory **_came out of the Original Chaos Demons.

Stay tuned for **Chapter Two: Busted** to find out what secrets the invisible letter holds and why it has Carey so upset.


	2. Busted

**Chapter Two**

**_"Busted"_**

"I see you tried reading the letter."

Busted…

"Well, we just…I mean…" Cody started to babble an apology, but his mother held up a hand to silence him. Zack didn't bother trying to deny it, he was used to getting caught after all.

"It's ok, it's only natural for you guys to be curious. I know I haven't been myself lately."

"So, what does the invisible letter say?" Zack pressed onward, determined to find out its secrets.

"I have an old friend coming over to cook dinner for us. When she gets here I'll tell you," Carey answered, her shoulders drooping in sadness slightly. Cody easily read her body language. Whatever the letter said, it apparently wasn't good news.

"How long until…" Zack began to ask before being cut off by someone knocking on the door.

"It's open Maria." An elderly lady with shockingly curly white hair and dressed entirely in blue entered the suite, a warm smile on her grandmotherly face as she approached the family who were all still standing in the kitchen. Carey ushered the boys out into the living room and introduced them.

"Boys, this is Maria, she's a very good friend of mine and if you don't cause her any trouble she'll be sure to spoil you to no end," Carey said, earning her an innocent look from the older woman, "And these hooligans are Zachary and Cody."

"Nice to meet you boys," Maria said, stepping close and giving each of them a hug which the twins returned slightly awkwardly and then she stepped back to get a better look at them, "My my, your sons are quite the handsome little devils Carey."

"I claim the credit for them being handsome," Carey said, gracefully accepting the compliment, "The devil part they get from their father."

The twins couldn't help but grin at that remark and Maria nodded in understanding. Then the old lady made her way into the kitchen and started going through the bags, pulling out expensive looking cuts of meat and various side dishes that the twins favored. Cody clearly saw a boxed mix of garlic mashed potatoes he and Zack both liked which Maria picked up, looked at disdainfully and set it back on the counter.

"Well I'd best get to work so you dears don't starve," Maria said, and then pointed at the boxed food, "You feed them this stuff?"

"They like it," Carey answered with a laugh. Maria shrugged and went back to work while their Mom led them into the living room, retrieving the letter off the counter as she went. Soon the twins were settled on the couch, waiting in anticipation while their Mom paced in front of them, before stopping and finally beginning her explanation.

"You can't read the letter because it wasn't addressed to you," Carey said simply as if that explained it all, "But," She continued, hold up a hand as Zack made to interrupt, "I will read it to you…"

_Dear Ma'am,_

_You have in your care one Cody James Martin and one Zachary Dylan Martin. As you know, they were registered at birth in accordance with the law and are required to begin attending the Madison Academy before their fourteenth birthday. The Freshman Class of 2005-2006 will begin shortly and these two individuals are required to attend by law. _

_Please remember that you are not at any time to disclose the sensitive information outlined in the contract you signed when the above individuals were born. Failure by the above students to attend the Academy is punishable by death._

_ Thank you,_

_ Enrollment Office, Madison Academy_

When their mother finished reading, her head drooped in sadness and she started crying softly. The twins sat side by side, neither of them speaking for a moment as they tried to absorb what Carey had said. Zack was angered that he was 'required to attend by law' as he wasn't the type to abide by authority while Cody was deeply confused. He wasn't aware of any laws or contracts that could punish an American citizen by death if they didn't go to a school... It didn't make any sense, but that was probably because he was missing the 'sensitive information' that his mother wasn't allowed to talk about. It was like trying to put together a puzzle without the picture or any of the straight pieces.

"Why do we have to go?"

"What is this school for?"

"You have to go because it's the law Zack and I can't tell you what this school is for Cody." Carey answered. She sat down heavily in between them, crumpled the letter and tossed it aside. "I shouldn't be worrying you two by acting like this. The Academy is a great place and it will open many doors for the two of you. I'm just sad because you're going away for a year."

"Whoa, who said we decided to go?" Zack protested.

"It's the law. If you don't go, they will kill you and there's nothing I can do about it."

"What law?" Cody interjected. He wasn't angry about having to go, in fact this private school sounded like a promising place to advance his education, but at the same time he wasn't getting a good vibe concerning the reasons behind their attendance. Carey slipped off the couch, turned to face her sons and knelt down before them. She pulled their hands into hers and looked at them very seriously.

"If there was ever a time that I needed you two to do as I say without objection, that time is now. Your questions will be answered soon, but I cannot be the one to answer them." Cody felt himself swayed by his mother, she really needed them to cooperate for their own benefit and he knew that she wouldn't just send them off to a strange place without good reason. It was now that he realized just how much she sacrificed to ensure the well being and happiness of her sons.

"Okay Mom, I'll go," Cody finally relented.

"What? Cody?" Zack stammered, looking at his twin in disbelief, "What about our friends? Max…Tapeworm…Bob… What about our lives here? I'm sick and tired of moving around!" He yanked his hands away from Carey as he yelled his final sentence. The constant moving around the country had taken a far greater toll on Zack than it had on Cody.

"You'll make many friends there dear," Maria answered, coming into the living room with a plate that had a couple of cut up pieces of the steak that she was grilling in the kitchen and offered the boys a taste, "And if there's one thing the Academy is good at its providing stability while letting you pursue anything you set your mind on."

"Thank you," Cody said as he picked up his piece and popped it into his mouth. He barely heard Zack's reply as the smoky flavor of the medium rare cooked meat exploded in his mouth and juices from the steak coated his tongue. It was perhaps the best thing he'd ever tasted in his life. Cody looked up at Maria in awe and she nodded back, accepting his unspoken compliment.

"What's it like there…?" Zack finally relented, becoming interested. He tried his sample of steak and he gave Maria the same awed look that Cody had.

"It's like no other school that you've ever been too," Carey said happily, glad to see Zack finally warming to the idea, "But if I know my boys, you have to make me a promise."

"Okay…" Cody said warily.

"Zack, they're more tolerant and there are far fewer rules there, but the rules that do exist carry heavy consequences if you break them. Please promise me that the two of you will behave."

"Why are you looking at me?" Zack asked in his most innocent tone of voice.

"Because I know how you can be," Carey laughed, offering them her pinky.

"Promise." The twins said in unison, holding out their pinkies to swear on it.

"Dinner's ready!"

* * *

**A/N:** Huh, the plot thickens! We learn that Zack and Cody have to attend a school that doesn't exist for reasons unknown to them under penalty of death.

Coming up, the twins are off to their new school in **Chapter Three: New Horizons**. Stay tuned!

**P.S.** I am taking requests for general scene/scenario ideas that the twins will encounter at school. I will take the general idea and incorporate it into the story. For example, there are scenes already planned for Zack doing some rule breaking on his first day and a 'bully' scene with another student. For more information/discussion/questions, visit Demi God's thread in my Chaos Realm forums at .net/forum/The_Chaos_Realm/70751/


	3. New Horizons

**Chapter Three**

**_"New Horizons"_**

One week later the twin's found themselves boarding a bus in Albany, New York during the late afternoon hours. It had been a very sudden turn of events as Zack and Cody learned that their Freshman year at Madison Academy was to begin so soon after receiving the letter. They barely had time to pack their bags, say goodbye to their friends and enjoy their last few days in Boston. After a teary farewell from their Mother, the boys were cast free for the first time in their lives and they headed into the unknown.

It quickly became apparent that the small group of teens riding on the bus with them had all come alone and none of them knew each other. Cody took comfort in the fact that he at least had Zack with him, providing a sense of stability in his life amid their rapidly changing situation. Due to the fact that no one knew each other, conversations were slow in starting and few people seemed interested in talking as most of them were lost in their thoughts. Cody counted two other boys and three girls among them, most of which looked rather sullen and unapproachable.

Zack, who was sitting in the aisle seat a few rows back from the front of the bus next to Cody, soon became aware of the boy sitting across the aisle from him staring at them. He tried ignoring the other boy, even going so far as to glare back when he averted his eyes, before giving up and directly confronting him.

"What?"

"Oh, erm…" The boy stuttered, looking at the ground.

"Why are you staring at us?" Zack asked, knowing perfectly well the reason behind it. He'd gotten stares like that his entire life when Cody was with him.

"I'm sorry…I've just never seen twins before." Now that a conversation had been started, Cody decided to put his foot in the door lest Zack put his own foot in his mouth first.

"No problem, we get that all the time. Name's Cody and this is my brother Zack."

"Nice to meet you guys, I'm Josh."

"So Josh, you have any idea what this is all about?" Cody asked, wondering if any of the others knew more than they did.

"Not a clue, sorry. My Dad got a letter from the Academy and one from my mother, whom I've never known, saying that I had to go there."

"Wow, that's kind of how we ended up here. Our Mom got a letter from them saying them same thing, but we couldn't read it."

"Couldn't read it?" Josh wondered, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"I think it was written in invisible ink or something…" Cody began to explain as one of the girls on the bus moved forward to sit directly behind the twins. She leaned over the back of the seat, her long raven black hair falling over the top of it and spoke softly.

"It wasn't invisible, you just couldn't read it."

"That's the same crap our Mom tried to feed us," Zack finally said entering the conversation as he turned around in his seat to look at her, "What do you mean?"

"I mean what I mean. If the letters weren't addressed to you, there's no way you can read them." She explained as if it were the most obvious answer in the world.

"What are you trying to say?" Josh demanded, beating Zack to the punch, getting irritated at the runaround.

"What Raven is trying to say is that there's more going on than meets the eye," the black haired boy who had been sitting in the back of the bus said as he came forward to join the conversation, standing in the aisle behind them, "This whole situation is fishy. Letters we can't read, parents who won't explain why we have to go to this non-existent Academy, no idea what this school teaches and why most of us had to travel great distances across the States to get here."

"Well said Will," Raven commented as the older boy finished.

"I hadn't thought about that," Cody said, his suspicion increasing.

"We're from Boston, so going to New York State isn't much of a stretch for us. What about you guys, where are you all from?" Zack asked, his interest in their mutual situation more than piqued now. Josh answered first, followed by Raven and then Will.

"Phoenix."

"Vegas."

"Cali."

"Florida," one of the other girls said as she came to join them from the very front of the bus. She was pretty in her own way, not supermodel hot or anything, but pleasant to look at. Cody briefly found himself lost in the girl's long wavy blond hair and her deep green eyes. He soon learned that the name of this lovely angel was Lily. Such a wonderful name…

Over the next hour the small group of teens continued to exchange stories and theories. Cody listened intently and eventually spotted a glaring similarity in their backgrounds. All of them had had rocky childhoods, moving around a lot and primarily being raised by only one of their biological parents. Now they had all received orders to go to a mysterious school that didn't seem to exist and no one would tell them why… They were all in the same boat it seemed.

Before they knew it, darkness had fallen outside and the bus rolled to a halt. For some time they had been traveling on a county road winding its way through the lucsioucs forests and mountainious parts of western New York. Now though, they had turned off on a non descript dirt road and had pulled up to an ominous looking gate made of iron bars affixed to a red brick wall that was taller than the bus and to either side it stretched into the distance beyond the area illuminated by the bus's headlights. There was a golden plaque off to the right side of the gate that had something written on it in big black letters and Cody leaned forward to make out the words.

_Madison Academy_

_ School For The Gifted_

_ Est. 1940_

Cody frowned as he read the second line. No one would contest that Cody was gifted in school, but his brother was as far from being gifted as the color blue was from being mistaken for red. A couple of the others voiced similar opinions as they read the sign. Zack, who was thinking along similar lines as his twin was also wondering if perhaps the word 'Gifted' had a double meaning considering the circumstances that had brought them here.

* * *

**A/N:** Short, but intriguing. I wanted to introduce the main secondary characters in a non 'Hi my name is' scenario. I also wanted to establish Josh early as a potential friend, Lily as being a beautiful angel, Will/Raven being more sullen/acidic and have them all give up a bit of their backgrounds without making it glaringly obvious. As I posted in Demi God's forum last week (it's a part of SL's The Chaos Realm) you might have recognized a few names. Josh from my Xmas story is here along with Lily from Truth Seeker (they are not the same people, but their personalities/backgrounds are similar and adapted to this story's plot).

So, the twins are in New York now and they've arrived at the Academy. What awaits for them when they enter? Stay tuned to find out! Reviews make it happen faster! Motivation baby =)


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